The Criminal Code Act 1907 provides that consensual sex in private between same sex couples is lawful at age eighteen (18) years (Section 177 (3)) and for opposite sex couples at age sixteen (16) years (Section 181) [L1.1].

On 07 December 2015, Chief Justice Ian R C Kawaley in the Supreme Court found that only administrative changes were required in the application of offending sections of the immigration legislation - to the extent that they authorise the minister or deny the permanent same-sex partners of persons who possess Bermuda status residential and employment rights - suspending his 27 November 2015 declaration until 29 February 2016 [R1.3].

On 27 November 2015, Chief Justice Ian R C Kawaley in the Supreme Court ruled that the applicant Bermuda Bred Company was entitled to a declaration that 'Sections 25 [27, 27A] and 60 of the Bermuda Immigration and Protection Act 1956 shall be inoperative to the extent that they authorise the Minister to deny the same-sex partners of persons who possess and enjoy Bermuda status, and who have formed stable relationships with such Bermudians, residential and employment rights comparable to those conferred on spouses by the said sections 25 and 60 respectively [C1.2], [R1.1].

On 07 February 2018, Governor John Rankin signed the Domestic Partnership Act 2017, replacing same-sex marriage with domestic partnerships [R1.5].

On 13 December 2017, the Senate passed 8-3 the Domestic Partnership Act 2017. The Bill provides same-sex couples with a raft of legal rights but prevents any further same-sex marriages and reverses the Supreme Court ruling in May that permitted same-sex marriages. It must now be signed by the governor before it becomes law in the Atlantic ocean territory [R1.4].

On 08 December 2017, the House of Assembly passed 24-10 the Domestic Partnership Act 2017. The Bill will provide same-sex couples with a raft of legal rights but prevent any further same-sex marriages. The legislation would not have retroactive affect on same-sex marriages after the Supreme Court ruling in the Godwin and DeRoche case against the Registrar-General [R1.3].

On 23 June 2016, Bermudians overwhelmingly rejected same-sex marriages and civil unions. The final count, at around 4am 24 June, showed that 69 per cent of those who voted, or 14,192 people, opposed same-sex marriage, with 6,514 voting in favour. That means out of 44,367 registered voters, 31.99 per cent were against, with 14.68 per cent in favour. Meanwhile, 63 per cent voted against civil unions in the second question. That equates to 29.31 per cent of registered voters, with 17.19 per cent voting in favour [R1.2].

On 11 May 2106, a formal notice was published in the Official Gazette confirming that the referendum on same-sex marriage and civil unions will be held on 23 June [R1.1].

Section 2 of the Human Rights Act 1981 provides that discrimination is unlawful on the grounds of race, place of origin, sex, marital status, disability, religious beliefs, but not age or sexual orientation [L1.4].

On 14 June 2013, the House of Assembly approved a bill that would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation. The Bill also prohibits age discrimination in all sectors except at work [R1.3].

On 02 November 2012, Governor George Fergusson, made an announcement stating: 'The Bermuda Human Rights Act does not meet the standard for the 21st century. A new act will be introduced that addresses both sexual orientation and age' [R1.2].

On 13 July 2012, Youth, Families and Sport Minister Glenn Blakeney signalled new laws to ban harassment of based on gender and discrimination against gays and older people. Further discussions, including public meetings, would be held to consider the amendments to the Human Rights Act 1981 [L1.2] or the introduction of an Equality Act [R1.1].

On 07 December 2015, Chief Justice Ian R C Kawaley in the Supreme Court found that only administrative changes were required in the application of offending sections of the immigration legislation - to the extent that they authorise the minister or deny the permanent same-sex partners of persons who possess Bermuda status residential and employment rights - suspending his 27 November 2015 declaration until 29 February 2016 [R2.3].

On 27 November 2015, Chief Justice Ian R C Kawaley in the Supreme Court ruled that the applicant Bermuda Bred Company wsas entitled to a declaration that 'Sections 25 [27, 27A] and 60 of the Bermuda Immigration and Protection Act 1956 shall be inoperative to the extent that they authorise the Minister to deny the same-sex partners of persons who possess and enjoy Bermuda status, and who have formed stable relationships with such Bermudians, residential and employment rights comparable to those conferred on spouses by the said sections 25 and 60 respectively [C2.2], [R2.1].

On 01 March 2018, home affairs minister Walton Brown reportedly revealed that same-sex couples will be able to marry until the end of May as the introduction of the Domestic Partnership Act had been delayed to 01 June to allow planned same-sex marriages in Bermuda, and on island-registered ships, to take place [R1.15].

On 07 February 2018, Governor John Rankin signed the Domestic Partnership Act 2017, replacing same-sex marriage with domestic partnerships [R1.14].

On 13 December, the Senate passed 8-3 the Domestic Partnership Act 2017. The Bill provides same-sex couples with a raft of legal rights but prevents any further same-sex marriages and reverses the Supreme Court ruling in May that permitted same-sex marriages. It must now be signed by the governor before it becomes law in the Atlantic ocean territory [R1.13].

On 08 December, the House of Assembly passed 24-10 the Domestic Partnership Act 2017. The Bill will provide same-sex couples with a raft of legal rights but prevent any further same-sex marriages. The legislation would not have retroactive affect on same-sex marriages after the Supreme Court ruling in the Godwin and DeRoche case against the Registrar-General [R1.12].

On 16 February 2018, Mark Pettingill, the lawyer representing expat Bermudian Roderick Ferguson reportedly filed a motion in the island's Supreme Court to undo a new law banning same-sex marriage [R1.12].

On 03 November 2017, it was reported that the government had launched a new 'Domestic Partnership Bill' for a two-week public consultation period concluding 15 November. Under the Bill existing same-sex couples would stay married, but new couples would only be able to enter segregated 'partnerships' [L1.11], [R1.10].

On 14 July 2016, the Senate was reported to have rejected 5-6 the Human Rights Amendment Act that sought to exclude the Matrimonial Causes Act 1974 (which provides that a marriage is void unless the parties are respectively male and female) from the overriding primacy of the Human Rights Act (that makes unlawful discrimination on the basis of sex or sexual orientation as well as other attributes) [R1.9].

On 08 July 2016, the House of Assembly passed 20-10 a Bill to the effect that nothing in the Human Rights Act would override the provisions of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1974, which provides that marriages are void unless they are between a man and a woman [R1.8].

On 23 June 2016, Bermudians overwhelmingly rejected same-sex marriages and civil unions. The final count, at around 4am 24 June, showed that 69 per cent of those who voted, or 14,192 people, opposed same-sex marriage, with 6,514 voting in favour. That means out of 44,367 registered voters, 31.99 per cent were against, with 14.68 per cent in favour. Meanwhile, 63 per cent voted against civil unions in the second question. That equates to 29.31 per cent of registered voters, with 17.19 per cent voting in favour [R1.7].

On 10 June 2016, Chief Justice Ian Kawaley refused the application by the Centre for Justice to stop the same-sex marriage ballot taking place on June 23 on the grounds that such a referendum would breach the constitution, the Human Rights Act and common law [R1.6].

On 11 May 2106, a formal notice was published in the Official Gazette confirming that the referendum on same-sex marriage and civil unions will be held on 23 June [R1.5].

On 15 April 2016, it was reported that Thursday 23 June 2016 will be the likely date for the same-sex marriage referendum. The two-question ballot - will ask whether voters are in favour of same-sex marriage and whether they are in favour of same-sex civil unions [R1.4].

On 11 March 2016, Premier Michael Dunkley, speaking at the House of Assembly, revealed that the same-sex marriage referendum will likely take place in mid-to-late June [R1.3].

On 29 February 2016, Premier Michael Dunkley, accompanied by Community and Culture Minister Patricia Gordon Pamplin, told a media conference that a same-sex marriage referendum bill will be tabled in the House of Assembly ''this legislative session'' [R1.2].

On 16 April 2015, it was reported that Jacqui Chapman and her partner were told that because a P&O ship is registered in Bermuda, the Island's laws – including the prohibition of same-sex marriages – are applicable on board their ships [R1.1].

On 05 May 2017, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of Winston Godwin and Greg DeRoche being granted a marriage licence, stating: ''The common law definition of marriage, that marriage is the voluntary union for life of one man and one woman, and its reflection in the Marriage Act section 24 and the MCA section 15 (c) are inconsistent with the provisions of section 2 (2) (a) (ii) as read with section 5 of the H(uman) R(ights) A(ct) as they constitute deliberate different treatment on the basis of sexual orientation [C2.2], [R2.1].

Section 2 (2) of the Adoption of Children 1907 provides that "An adoption order may be made on the application of two spouses authorizing them jointly to adopt an infant; but an adoption order shall not in any other case be made
authorizing more than one person to adopt an infant" [L1.1].

Section 3 (3) of the Act provides that "An adoption order shall not be made in respect of an infant who is a female in favour of a sole applicant who is a male, unless the court is satisfied that there are special circumstances which justify as an exceptional measure the making of an adoption order [L1.1].